NEW DELHI, May 12: The Congress on Monday demanded answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on US President Donald Trump’s claims, made minutes before the prime minister addressed the nation, asking if the operation against Pakistan was stopped due to trade obligations and whether he had accepted American mediation on Kashmir.
The Congress also reiterated its demand for a special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor and the cessation of military action against Pakistan on US mediation, asserting that a collective resolve from Parliament was the need of the hour.
Asserting that India would not tolerate any “nuclear blackmail”, Modi on Monday said operations against Pakistan had only been kept in abeyance and the future would depend on the neighbouring country’s behaviour.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X, “The prime minister, his drumbeaters, and his apologists should answer.”
“The prime minister’s much-delayed address to the nation was completely upstaged by President Trump’s revelations a few minutes earlier. The prime minister was completely silent on them. Has India agreed to US mediation?
Has India agreed to a ‘neutral site’ for a dialogue with Pakistan? Will India now give in on US demands for opening Indian markets in autos, agriculture, and other areas?” Ramesh asked.
Trump on Monday reiterated his claim that his administration stopped a “nuclear conflict” between India and Pakistan, telling the south Asian neighbours that the US would do a “lot of trade” with them if they ended the hostilities.
Ramesh, a former Union minister, said Modi should immediately have a meeting with leaders of all political parties — something he had studiously avoided in the last 20 days.
“The months ahead will demand both painstaking diplomacy and a collective resolve. One-liners and dialogue-baazi are poor substitutes,” he asserted.
“We applaud and salute our armed forces unreservedly. They have done the country proud. We are 100 per cent with them at all times. But the prime minister has still much to answer for,” Ramesh said.
KHARGE REITERATES DEMAND FOR SPECIAL SESSION
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday reiterated his demand for the central government to convene a special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, and the latest developments in cross-border firing, including the recently announced “ceasefire”.
The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said that while everyone wishes for peace, the country must be defended when necessary, and the Indian armed forces have fought with full strength to do so.
“Both Rahul Gandhi and I have written to the Prime Minister, seeking a special Parliament session. We want the session to be convened to discuss what is happening in our country, in Pakistan, and other developments, along with what measures we can take to safeguard our people,” Kharge said. (PTI)
